Reenforced concrete and steel construction



Sept. 30. 1924.

R. H. ROBINSON NEENF'ORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 10. 1919 10 heets-Sheet 1 Inufen or Sept. 30 1924. 1,510,163

R. H. ROBINSON I REENFORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed 0ct.'l0, 1919 10 s'hets-sheet 2 Irnfem mam 5s R. H. ROBINSON REENFORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL CONSTRUCTION.

Sept. 30

Filed Oct. 10.

1919 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 v gus.

Sept. 30 1924.

R. H. ROBINSON REENFORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL CONSTRUCTION 1O Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct; 10, 1919 ITTJQTRIOI H031 1? 305153022 Sept. 30, 1924.

- R. H. ROBENSON REENFORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 10, 1919 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 30. 1924. 1510.163

R. H. ROBINSON REENFORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 10, 1919 10 Sheets-shut 7 'WMQ W R. H. ROBINSON REENFORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL CONSTRUCTION Sept. 30

Filed Oct. 10, 1919 lo Sheath-sheaf. a

Inferior R95; 15 4 20552801 %w, M, 34W T M I I,510,163 n 30 1924 R. H. ROBINSON REENF'ORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL CONSTRUCTIO" Filed cm. 10, 1919 1o sheets -shet 9 4 l 56 1 15; 15 5 161 56" R. H. ROBINSON HEENF'ORCED CONCRETE AND STEEL CONSTRUCTION Se t. 30

, 1919 10 Sheets-Shoot 10 Filed Oct. 10

n son Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT t ll l ltllil.

BOY H. ROBINSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed October 10, 1919. Serial No. 329,834.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Roy ll. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United Statearesiding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reenforced Concrete and Steel Construction.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of concrete and steel ships including the important methods of making the same, said improvements being in part in the nature of modifications and developments in the inventions set forth in my 00 pending serial applications No. 205,819, filed December 7th, 1917, and No. 216,873, filed February 13, 1918.

Among the principal objects of the present invention are to provide a composite concrete and steel structure which may be shop-fabricated and assembled in the field, to provide a means of constructing ships or other floating bodies by the assemblage of numerous sectional pro-cast hull shell units which can be cheaply and rapidly manufactured in quantity a stock and continuous process, and at the same time to supply a means of so securing these together and to the frame-work ofthe hull as to obtain a thoroughly and permanently water-tight hull-shell with a strength and wa ter-tightness at the points of union of the respective shell sections, at least equal to, and actually greater than that throughout the hull shell itself; to furthermore provide means for "the construction of the steel frame-work of the hull and the steel framework of the sectional shell units so as to do away almost entirely with shop operations such as punching, bolting, and riveting, in connection with the preparation and assemblage of the steel work and hull panels; to make highly accurate connect-ion \vork, otherwise required, unnecessary so that the various units of the structure built with armroximate accuracy, can be quickly assembled with derrioks in the field without loss of time and labor in makingtheparts come together with the coinciding accuracy heretofore found necessary in all assemblage work, at the cost of much time and correction of the work in the field; and generally to provide a means of rapid and economical ship construction which will produce hulls of a lightness and strength equal or superior to all-steel hulls and so minimize the labor and cost of ship building as to permit of successful American competition with the cheapest foreign building which otherwise threatens to preclude successful ship building in the United States in competition With the World market.

-A further important object of the con struction is to so dispose the various structural materials at such points and in such shapes, in the formation of the hull as to produce hulls of superior strength in rela tion to the quantities of material employed, and at the same time offer a design of hull Which'will provide for a novel, rapid and highly economical method of loading and unloading cargoes, this being one of the paramount considerations in the successful construction and operation of American shipping in competition with the world.

Describing generally and briefly some of the present features involved in my invention, it may be stated that the hull is constructed with a frame-work of structural steel formed in various instances into deep trusses so as to secure great strength combined with the highest degrees of lightness, and eflicient use of metal, and at other points and particularly where a large amount of metal is required for the predominant and excessive longitudinal strains to which the hull is subjected, formed of steel plate girders in lieu of trusses. This steel framework is so designed and erected in conjunction with pre-cast shell. plates of concrete or other strong cementitious ma terial that the steel plates forming the hull frame-work come between the shell plate sections and are securely welded to them both Within and without the hull. The prccast shell units themselves have a metal framework within which they are cast. This steel framing ultimately becomes a complementary and completing portion of the fabricated steel framework of the hull itself. This. introduces a novel feature, whereby the fabrication and building up of the transverse and longitudinal steel framing of the ship hull is completed by the assemblage of the concrete shell panels in "union with the hull framing.

\Vhile reenforccd concrete or steel and concrete frame members can be similarly used in my construction in place of the struc tural steel framing w departing from the scope of my invention, it is preferred that the framing of the hull should general 1y be of structural steel for the reason that the frame-Work is subject to reversing tensile and compression strains under the action or" the sea which makes it necessary to provide in any case sufficient metal to meet both tension and compression and the addition of concrete therefore in the :trame is largely an excessive Weight of material not required in the framing members.

AF ismy previous invention 1 have have provided means for eliminating a large amount of transverse framing hitherto cmploycd in concrete ship design. I have pro vided herein further means of lessening the weight of the hull by eliminating the number of transverse structural frames customarily employed, While at the same time securing a concrete shell oi less than the customary thickness, and still providing against the shearing stresses in the side of the hull, and the heavy Water pressure sustained by a. large and deep draft ocean vessel.

In the design customarily employed for concrete v ssels, the transverse vertical ribs or the hull are generally spaced not more than five feet apart and the shell between these supporting ribs in ocean vessels of any substantial size is not less than five or six inches in thickness. One of the main tea tures of my invention is to reduce the number of these transverse ribs by 50% or more. spacing these on ten to twelve foot centers instead of five toot centers and. at the same time making it possible to reduce the thickness of the shell itself to an inch and a halt or less in thickness. To accomplish this 1 take part of the same amount of concrete employed in the five inch shell and distribute this in thin deep ribs generally 12 to 15 modes in depth on close centers generally 12 or 1%- inches apart on the back or inner side of the hull shell. By this means I am able to obtain strength in these shells so extended in long spans between the hull traming ivhich Will give almost an equivalent of 10 or 12 inches of shell thickne s. lVith the same quantity of concrete ther ore, equivalent to five or six inches of solid thickness per square foot, I am able to obtain a hull shell of greatly increased strength mail possible my long span system. At the same time, in order to provide against the severe ct wins from hogging: and sagging. in the of the hull. l. dispose these deep ribs on the back of my side plates so as to run diagonally in both directions between the vertical uprights formed by the transverse hull frames. By this means I l de elop the compression strength of the concrete shear and am able to secure the necessary "w th While still employing this relatir o y small quantity of concrete in the null shell. This spreading apart 01" the transverse hull frames and reduction of the quantity and thickness of concrete in the hull envelope which I make possible by deforming into raised supporting parts the concrete shell plating of the hull. is a distinct innovation in concrete ship building.

A particularly novel and important. 'lcature which I have invented in my general system of concrete ship construction, centers around the peculiar use which l make oil: the reinforcing rods used. .in the shells of all concrete vessels. .lt is custon'uu'y to use those steel lldl: generally running in two directions to provide the necessary strength in the concrete shell of the hull. Iililhcrto, the reinforcing bars have been straight bars conformed to the shape of the hull shell and concentrically parallelliup it sligrhtly below the surtace oi the concrete. Under this ur ranp'cment. only a relatively small degree oi strength for resisting \vater-prcssuro is developed. in my construction as quite dis tinct i'rom this conventional construction, l sink each bar of the reinforcing" shell, into a concrete backing rib so that they all do velop a greatly increased resistance. in brief, thcrel'orc. and speaking]; broadlymy net-Work of reii'iliorcing bars for the hull shell is placed approximately behind the hull shell as a backing support instead of in the hull shell. The sigi'uiliczuicc ot lhir; trom an engineering standpoint is readily understood.

Another fundamental advantage of this particular feature of my construction is the pluck oi? the main i'iziu'l orcmg bars in the concrete of the shell panels at a relatively great depth from the outersurtace ol' the concrete which the deformed buck oi my hull plates alone makes possible. llill'icrlo. in concrete ship constriuttiou. the main slccl reinforcing bars of the hull shell huvc nocessarily been placed near the surlaco ol' the concrete. the outer bars being: generally within three quarters oil. an inch ol the Water. As a result of this, the are in grcul danger oi? exposure from slight cracking. .egation or )enctrati m o]? the con crete causing the bars. thereupon. to rust and bu r t open the concrete shell. in my plates ovvinp; to the deep thin ribs. the reinforcing bars are for the most part car ricd at a considerable distance rum thc suriliuce of the concrete and are not exposed to these dangers. While the thin concrete shell itself, supported on t e buck ribbins; is recn'torced by several layers ol': Jul.- vanixed st ed mesh vvhich not only makes crafting; most dillicult but also makes any erosion unlikely and of local consequence only and not affecting the major reinforcing: steel upon Which the strength of the vessel whole, Well as the hull shell seriously depends.

A. further feature is to provide a protccn oil it loo Ill)

tion of the shell envelope which will secure it against abrasion, puncturing, and damage from without, and at the same time make. any possible cracks in the concrete shell of no consequence, because of an outer and protecting elastic envelope and cushion of a tough and enduring nature.

A further object of my invention is to se cure the greatest possible efficiency of metal and longitudinal strength in the hull by preferably providing near the corners of the deck, deep longitudinal steel plate stringers or girders which pass through and above the deck throughout the greater length of the hull where the excessive hogging and sagging strains are to be met. These girders thus serve ointly as the main longitudinal framing of the hull, a bulwark for the deck on either side, and one side of the upper trimming tanks in the hull directly under the deck and still further for a rail foundation for my crane unloading provisions.

in combination with these outer bulwark girders, I similarly extend through and ibove the deck the adjacent inner longitudinal hull girders or stringers so that the deck and hatches between these inner girders are raised above the level of the side portions oi the deck and these inner girders torm the hatclrcombings in this way and also provide the inner rail foundation for the cranes which travel up and down both sides of th deck. With this arrangement, I pretcrably omit the customary central longitudinal girder which would encumber the hatch openings, and employ the metal which would ordinarily be used for that purpose in these side girders O r-trusses and hatch combings on both sides of the deck. In this way, the hull strengthened by girders ot greater depth, and a greater section of metal in the longitudinal framing is brought nearer the i-orners ot the hull so as to be of greater use in resisting the transverse strains as well.

llpon the rails, attached to these deck girders, apair of which are thus formed on each side of the deck throughout its major length, are placed traveling and revolving whirlers, or unloading, cranes, con-- veyors. or other devices, which can thus move up and down the deck of the hull reaching the various cargo hatches. A special feature of my deck design to further permit of this provides for the placing of the pilot cabih and chart-house amidships between the deck crane tracks on either side so as to permit of these traveling cranes reaching all hatches tore and aft and at the same time allow the wheel house and pilot cabin to be 'ilaced amid-ship instead of at the bow and thus avoid the diiiiculties of rough weather. in conjunction with this arrangement, I provide cross transfer tracks preferably near or at both ends of the crane track for transferring the cranes to either side of the deck. It will be seen that by this novel means of deck design and unloading system, the present slow methods employing boom derricks are done away with. The whirler, by taking the desired position can unload any hatch without raisin or lowering its boom and by merely whirling with its load. At the same time being located near the outer edge of the deck, its boom an reach over a much larger radii on the dock or unloading place so as to give a. much greater field of operation. The whirlcr can, furthermore, operate several times as :tast as the boom derricks hitherto employed.

A. novel feature of my invention is the uniting t pie-cast concrete plates by welding them together through a medium of integral metallic plates or members provided for that purpose; and in this connection a still further feature is the securing of such union of the adj aeent pre-cast Ship plates the hull frame-work by a single weld which unites all three parts at one and the same time and also completely seals the hull trom the entrance of water.

A further novel f ature is to provide for welding openings in the concrete, in the as semblage oi precast concrete units, so that the metallic uniting parts, to be welded, can be reach-ed by an electrode and welded, and thereafter, the weld covered and completely protected by a final application of concrete.

ltetcrrin 't'urther and more particularly to the pi concrete plate construction if my hull, I provide several types of preall of which are provided with .eta. wcldin t at or near of the plates, which are to be brought in contact with the steel "frame-work of the hull when the plates are zssembled in their position to form the envelope of the a parts may be any hull. These weld form oil metal eler cuts, but are preferably a steel frame-work which is itsell substantially imbedded in the concrete or? the plate while at the same time exposing a bearing and weldirm cc around the rim or sides oi? the plate. the metal so used to trame the concrete panel is ma e to serve several purposes; fir t, as a par g.

I .l or complete Form for the sides of the panel in concreting; sec-- substantial anchorage tor the steel which lies within the panel; third, as a seat to sustain the concrete ribs upon the back oi? the cin'icrete face of the panel which forms the outer shell of the ship hull; tourth, as a portionv ot the calculated section of metal required in the i'brnpletely fabricated steel framing of the hull to which this metal is completely and structurally united when the hull is finally assembled and scaled; fifth, as a containing templet tor the quick, accurate, and economical. casting of the concrete plates to the exact and required shape and size.

This metal framing is designed to prorioe a weld at or near the outer and also inner side of the precast plates, this bein an important consideration to prevent fatigue in the Welding metal resulting from any roching strains which the pla e and the weld would be subjected to were the welding all in one plane. Formerly the union oi preformed units has been largely all ected through the medium of fresh concrete placed between or around the prec t elements placed in permanent position. in this practice there is not nly great dillieulty in mahing such iield coimuctions but an element of uncertainty as to the strength and mono lithic connection o= 111% joint when (5"POStEill ship hull t to the rack and strain to which a is continually exposet. To avoid ger and weakness, instead of 'jO'lF-iii'ig U cast elements through the ttcinpt to secure a monolithic union oil the oncretc, l join the ore-cast units througi ono'le ric as distinguished from a monohlz union oi the structure thereby seem" "horoughly dependable connection and llllli'lg this continuously about the joints of the cast plates, at least on the outer. 7 connection, the previously cxi lug joints entirely eliminated by the melting and liming together oi the steel. In making ti melted or welded connection in uniting th plates and the frame-work t the hull, l s the steel. hull frame-plates coming between the adjacent pre-cast plates, slightly within the outer edges of the adjoining plates so as to leare a recess or pocket hold the welding metal. By filling this poclaiet, in welding, I thus am able to unite the three parts, i. e. the two metal faces of the adjacent precast plates and the hull frame with but one weld. This is an important feature of my construct on in the matter of economy as well as in strength. In conjunction with this outer weld, I then weld the inner edge of the panel frames to the steel frame-work oi? the hull. on the inner side of the hull, thus preventing; any racking or rocking tendencies which might tend to weaken or injure the main outer weld. The inner weld is preferable as a matter oi economy only spotted or tacked at intervals. l r'ith this. the point oi union will be found strong:- er than any other point of the hull envelope. It, however, it is desired to make the hull joints water-tight both from within and without, and still further reei'rfcn'ced, the in ner weld can also be run continuously around the edge of the panel making continuous welded union of the metal on. the inside as well as on the outside of the hull.

In view of my deforming the bacl: of my concrete ship plates with raised ribs on close centers, the outer shell. Sustained by this notworl: of small reentorced concrete beams is abnormally strong in. resisting puncturi ng and crushing in from blows or collisions. The shell itself spans only a few inches between this ribbing and a blow thus sustained by the ribs which are distributed over the entire area of the plate and which have exeptional strength because of their relatively great depth.

l i hcre it is desired, however. to provide still, further security against the cargo space being flooded from a hole being made in the concrete shell, I provide certain modifications which entirely sate-guard against such contingencies. 1 construct one. type oi" plate with the bruhing ribs and thin outer face, but instead oi stopping the concrete at this point as is done in other instances, I lay collapsible tubular forms across the face of the fresh concrete, screeded oil at this level w iich lies somewhat above the steel channels which .i use to form the frame-work of the plate, and utter placing these tubular tlorins properly spaced apart, I continue the concreting to a higher level above the tubes and so form a second outer shell. After the concrete has set the cellular tubes are. then collapsed and removed. The outer l'acc o l' the shell is recni orced with one or more lay ers oi galvanized wire mesh, and the ribs formed between the cells are rceniforced with bars and stiriups which are placed in the customary bcarn .liormaiiou and are further arranged to tie the outer and inner shells together. The inner shell is also rcentorced with wire mesh in one or more layers, and thoroughly bonded to the rib backing by steel reinforcing stirrups or other similar anchorage in'ibedded in the ribs it is contemplated preferably to proportion the size ol. the cells in the additional concrete added by this outer cellular formation so that this outer section extending beyond the inner shell will displace more than its own weight in water whereby the weight carrying capacity of the ship will not be decreased by this additional protection. The only difference will then be an increase of a few inches in the outer dime sious ol' the hull. lt is to be noted in this construction that the tubular forms can be placed and reniovcd without interference from the steel framing oi the panel. The ribbinp on the nside of this plate can he run diagonallv across the plate or parallel in one or both directions to the rectangular sides of the plate or in any other formation that may be desired. It is to be noted furthermore, that great strength is developed because of: these outer ribs, formed by the cellular construw tion. lyinp across and being supported by the inner ribs of the plate running in the op posite direction.

As a still further modified form, I also provide a plate with an inner and outer shell and supporting ribs between. With this construction the shell can be broken into from within or without and the water still not admitted to the hull.

I build this plate preferably by laying my outer steel frame-work in the customary horizontal position upon. the flat or platform surface upon. which the plates are cast. To this steel frame-work are attached on both the inner and outer side, the reinforcing bars properly located to come within the concrete ribs to he formed within the plate. After the first layer of concrete for the inner shell is spread and screeded to the proper thickness within the steel panel frame, I place on this concrete, light inverted trough like forms, properly spaced apart and resting; between the reinforcing bars so as to form intervening concrete ribs within the plates. The concrete is then spread over these and into the ribbed spaces between same, and over the top in a thin layer of the desired thickness re .nforced with one or more layers of wire mesh. This is then screened off and finished as desired to form the outer face of the panel projected above the steel panel frame, or in certain instances flush with the top of the steel frame as explained elsewhere.

The ribs within this plate, which thus be comes cellular in form, can be run in any desired or in two directions across the plate, diagonally or parallel to the enclosing frame.

Where it is desired that the structural steel frame-wo of the hull shall carry the alterna ely reversing shearing strains, as well as the alternately reversing longitudinal and transverse bending strain. 1 provide within the steel frame-work of the pre -cast plates for the sides of the hull, diagonal steel framinp; designed to resist the maximum shearing strains to be met in the sagging and hogging, of the hull. This framing connects the opposite corners of the pre-cast plates and can be used with either the cellular ribbed plates or the lates with only backing ribs as hitherto described. hen these pre-cast plates are set up and welded in place in the sides of my hull design, I thus have a structure, of briiflge formation in effect, composed of vertical steel struts with interposed diagonal steel bracing to resist the tensile and compression strains of shearing.

Referring; further to my cellular plates, in my preferred hull design it is only necessary to use these in the sides as the corners of my hull formed as they are into trimming; tanks involve no danger to the cargo or ship from the puncturing of the outer shell at this point. Where the double bottom construction of my general design is employed, it is obvious that it is not necessary to employ cellular plates in the bottom. if on the other hand, the hull is to be used for tanker services, doing away with the necessity of an inner bottom the cellular plates are then preferably used for the bottom of the hull as well as the sides and the inner bottom is eliminated.

Should it be desired for any reason to use recnforced concrete framing in place of structural steel for the structural forma tion of the hull, my system employed. for my pre-cast concrete plates welded together equally adaptable to the framing of the hull the same as to the panels. In such case, I pre-cast structural frame members, that is to say, beams, stringers, columns, etc, with m tallic welding members embedded in the ends and sides of same and preferably forming either a portion of the concrete reinforcement required, or else the anchorage for further reinforcement imbedded in the concrete membes, or both. lhese structural frame members are then assembled in place and welded to each other and to the hull panels, in much the same manner as hitherto described, and the welding apertures are then filled and covered over with a protective coat of concrete or other material.

In this way, the use of pro-cast concrete with its greater economy and speed. of production and the great advantages of being able to manufacture it in advance, can be utilized for the structural framing while at the same time, a union of the integral parts which is thoroughly dependable and strong. and readily and quickly secured in the field, is made possible eliminating the handicap which otherwise, would make such a use and union of pii'e-cast framing units slow and uncertain, impractical and necessarily unpopular.

This arrangement will also permit of prodncinp; exceptionally strong framing members not obtainable by field concreting or other methods at present employed. I pro-- pose to use for such worlr, precast moulds constructed to resist great pressure from within and to Pour the concrete in these moulds after placing; the reinforcement therein in such plastic condition that it can be compressed to great density and strength under pressure while the forms are an? from without with. pneumatic hammer c this process, it is preferable to use hydraulic pressure and to apply this on the contained plastic concrete preferably along its upper surface or on many surfaces as desired and this pressure can be maintained until the concrete has secured the desired set as may be found necessary. This process can also be applied to the pro-cast ship plates when desired.

It is to be noted that in conformity with my previous pending applications for patent l concentrate the largest possible part of the longitudinal metal of the hull llO at its four corners so that the same cross section of metal is made common for meeting both transverse and longitudinal strains with a maximum resistance. In this construction I use the sides 01" my ship as large girders with a concentration of metal at the top and bottom, their upper and lower members being connected with struts, cross ties, and web,-the shell of the hull,in typical girder and truss formation. I use these great side girders to carry the load of the hull, by spanning and supporting my cross trusses or girders for the bottom and deck of the ship between these two points instead of supporting them as in the customary ship construction upon the center keel and central longitudinal. deck girder. To serve this end in my construction the cross trusses oi the hull bottom and deck are preterabl continuous between the side or corne girders of the hull and the intermediate longitudinal girders or trusses are made o1 separate sections connecting the span between the cross girders instead of vice versa as is customary in modern ship building.

In the assemblage of my hull training and fabricated pre-cast ship plates, I so construct and place the integral members as to avoid almost wholly or in large part overhead welding which is relatively dii'licult and expensive and this is one of the im portant features of my construction.

In connection with the :four longitudinal corner trimming tanks, which I enclose by the steel girders at the four corners of the hull, I provide piping connections (not shown) from the upper tanks to the diagonal opposite lower tanks and in this way permit of rapid gravity trimming of? the ship. By these means when the hull is listed, the ballast ot the upper deck tank on the low side of] the hull by opening the valves can be transferred to the opposite bottom tank on the high side of the hull, thus quickly righting the ship.

In the rib formation of my longitudinal. deck and bottom plates 1 preteral'ily run my concrete ribbing in four directions that diagonally, longitudinally, and transv rsely and in. such formation as to form similar triangles on the back of: the plate between the ribs. The purpose of this is; first to secure through this means a maximum quantity of reintorci" metal and concrete for the longitudinal stresses of the hull; second, to provide greater resistance against torsional strains; third, to make the form work between the ribs on the back of the plates identical and interchangeable throughout the plate; fourth, to make the span of the thin shell of the plate or minimum length between the ribs.

In my construction I have devised two methods of assembling my pro-cast hull plates in union with the hull framing. 1n the one case sets ot plates are arranged with their joints parallel and continuous with one another and thus butt against the transverse steel framing of the hull in parallel rows.

In the second case, I avoid parallel trans-- verse oints which the first construction produces and introduce a novel feature by staggering or brealiiing joints so as to avoid a continuously unbroken weld running trans versely around the hull.

Toward this end, I break the line of joints in alternate or double rows ol" plates and where the joints do not butt on the transverse hull training, I weld the two abutting pre-cast plate ends to each other. Where these pass over the transverse hull frames, 1 slot the plate of the hull frame so as to let the precast plate sink into same and at this point on the pre-east plate, there is. imbedded in the concrete, a metal part which contacts with the hull frame and is welled to it on this line in assembling the hull forming a face weld instead of an abutting weld.

It is to be noted that with my corner girder construction of the hull and the spanning ol the transverse trusses or girders of the bottom and deck on these side supports, intermediate, longitudinal girders and trusses in the deck can be entirely dispcnse l with ii' desired and the hatches run continuously across the deck from the cor ner or side girders and between the transverse deck girders or trusses so as to pen iuit of extended hatch-openings for any type ol' unloading machinery such as is used on bulk ore vessels oi" the Great ladies. l nder this arrangement. all the longitudinal metal tor the deck. strengthening is con ceulrated in the two corner frames or tanks 01 the deck which are supported. by the struts and deck sides. Where desired l'or securing greater cross section olf metal or other considerations. the exterior 'nrcmuit corner plates of the bilge and deck corners can be steel plates in lieu of concrete plains. combining with the longitudinal slecl cm ner girders or stringers. to make slci'l tnbular ,e irders of grcnl streng h.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation ot the ship out structed according to my invention.

lfig. 2 is plan of the ship deck.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view oi the pre ferred form of hull construction. broken on section 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 indicates the typical construction of the hull being a cross section on line 44:. F 2.

Figs. 5-6 are cross sectional perspectives showing the welding connections and conti l ill)

lid

struction of the girder and precast plate construction at the deck and bilge corners of the hull respectively.

Fig. 7 shows the plate construction of the bottom of the stern as viewed from below with a portion broken away to show the steel framing of transverse and longitudinal trusses to which the pro-cast plates are united.

where the transverse joints of the plates are staggered or broken instead of continuous as indicated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a cross section of half oi? the stern showing one of the transverse :tra of the stern to which the plates are tached.

Fig. 10 shows the general form and typical portion of one of the transverse frame trusses spanning the bottom of the ship throughout the amid-ship section and indicates the general manner of welding trusses employed throughout the construction.

Fig. 11 is aplan of deck plating where the transverse joints are broken or staggered and indicates one of the several types of ribbing formation employed in the pre-cast plates. Part of this is broken away to show the underneath ribbing.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the hull showing a modified form of plate construction in a typical ainidship section. The is broken away to show the steel diagonal ti. liming oi the plate for taking up the sheen ing stresses of the sides of the ship with the steel and also shows the longitudinal ribhing of the plate.

Fig. 13 shows a vertical cross section on line l3l3 through this side plate of the hull on line l3-l3 ig. l2.

14- is a cross section, through the side ot the hull on line l '-l l Fig. 12 and shows the connections of the plate to the steel train-- ing of the hull both at the ends of the plates and in the center of the plate.

is a cross section of a connection of a modified form of cellular plate construction at the point of union with the steel framing of the hull.

Fig. 16 shows a cross section through a. similar connection o1 pre-cast plates with the ship training: where angle irons with straps are ,sed for the framing of the precast plates instead of special shapes shown in Fig. 15.

Fig. 1? is a cross section through the plate connection with the steel trainin ot the hull showing a type of cellular formation with rib backing and an elastic slip coat on the plate foundation and an exterior concrete shell, also the concrete closure of the weldinn joint between the adjacent plates.

Fig. 18 shows a similar cross section where the filler over the welding joint is of con- Crete leveled to the surface oi the broken cushion coat an elastic cushion cont "up; put over this oint so as to completely and the eftftcrior concrete ou it I, being then continued by Filling; mu wn 1;.

no oint M et t 10 elastic cus 11011 .a e1 wit 1 e similar cross section oi? plate high the fran'iing where the e is finished exteriorly with the ic cushion. covering and the aperture for welding is then filled with the elasuc cushion material united to the outer skin a t l er the con'ipletion of the welding. .ieu of the cement concrete filler.

is an inside plan VlBW of one of j i ovcd plates or panels showing the *tsrnzl ribbing sheathed to form a cellular is modified form of connection between panels and the interposed 1 an. truss connection.

is 'lr nentar v per pective view or panel embodying a triangular ction.

to Fins. l, 2 and 3 of the draw- 3. 4 do ignate the longitudinal corner girders of the hull which n the extreme bow to the stern. Y. hull and at the same time form the corner t luing tanks so passes through produce bo ch a c 3 and the :oundation to: 5 1nd 6 des 'nate resee 'iraines of the hull dth o? the Ship supdcrs l l, on either fnal t .t s 8. 9 and L. ending between t i 1.. 5 and Between the lou 'itudinal plate .sg'iii'dcrs and 3 are the 1 r 1* W1 1 1 vertical trusses designated ii. \x'llltil secure the pro- 21st side plates of 11 ii) and o gports tor the and a the partition p t: -inining tanlrs. i when between bull-:-

in t. J as may be flow of hallastand ts 1h for d viding These plates aii heads have truss st:

desired t i (tel and weight.

1 s nat the curved precast curve .101 torin the bilge and he the hull and transfer tne thrust of tr e dec bottom. and S1035 so as to assure great s aunchness 1n the hull.- 17,

18, 19 and 20 designate the pre -cast bottom plates of the hull; 21, 22, 23, and 2 1 designate the pro-cast plates of the inner bottom these being for the typical amidship sec tion extending from near the bow to the stern section of the ship.

As noted the longitudinal trusses, 10 have steel plates forming their members which pass through the line of the deck to form the combing for the hatch and the side of the raised portion of the central part of the deck and also to provide seats for the rails 98 for the traveling unloading whirlers 28. These whirler tracks extend for and aft on the deck. The chart-house and cabin amidship 29 are designed to lie between these tracks so as to permit the whirlers to pass fore and aft reaching all the hatches, 30. The transverse girders 5 and 6 are supported and strutted apart by the columns or pillars 31 and 32 and these in turn are strntted horizontally to the vertical trusses 11 on either side by I-beams, 33 and to each other by I-beams 33 In addition to the amidship cabin and wheel-house 29, I provide a tore-castle 34 and poop 35. These deck super-structures are also formed of light pre-cast concrete plates with metallic welding connections or frames and are welded to the steel "framing of the deck on which they are erected, generally, being attached at their vertical j oints to the longitudinal or transverse steel girders of the deck.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5, and 6, 36 designates the side plates of the hull with diagonal ribbing, these plates 36, spanning between the steel truss struts 11. The hull is transversely bulk-headed at 37 at regular intervals and in alignment with the transverse trames 5 and 6 with pre-cast cellular bulk-heads 37 which. are also constructed with metallic frames on their vertical sides which weld to the side truss 11 and vertical steel columns or joints in alignment with columns, 31 and 32. The joints are sealed with concrete filling at the top and bottom and sides and the transverse trusses 11, 5. and if desired 6, are also conereted in at these bulk-head joints so as to make a solid partition at each side and also above and below the bulk-head plates so as to prevent the passage of water, or cargo-oil in the double bottom, from one bulkhead section to another.

In Fig. 5, 178 designates the slots punched near the outer edge of the longitudinal girder plates, 3, which permits of welding the inner edge of the channel frame 179 of the pre-cast plate 12 from above, in addition to the outside weld, 180 which completes the union at this point. Girder 4 is similarly slotted, at 181, to permit of welding the lower side of the panel framing 182 of the pro-east corner plate, from the inner side of girder :1; in a horizontal position. voidi 'j overhead welds from within the tnnn' tanks. This with the weld, 18.) mm welded from the exterior and cement l1! completes the welding of girder l: to prccast plate 16.

The deck plate 25 is preterably framed with an angle iron instead o l a channel ti permit welding from above. The angle iron is slotted near the bottom flange 181 and concrete pockets 185 are lri't 'l or r ocl inej these welding slots. The deck plate: thus welded to girder 41- along the top oil the angle iron at point 186 and near the lower sine through slots 184; which are so :xrramied as to be accessible to electrodes from above. The precast, plate 16 is welded at its bot tom side to girder 3 by the exterior mid 180 and on its inner side with a con Inuons or spotted fillet weld 11101 the co i lf i. The steel transverse reintoiring steel pl tes 115% are weld-ed to i channel iron frame 15 8 or 16 along the edge 188 and also to girders 3 and 4t on their other two edges. Where pro-cast plate joints are {gm-ed. thor plates 14 will come between the abutting steel trame joints of the adjacent plates H1 and be welded in the manner ('lescribed her in for my conventional union. between 1111'- cast plates and the steel frames. l nrthe. intermediate plates 1 1 bearing against the inner side of plate 16, not at the end joints are brought in contact with metal "tacos l'Pl-- bedded in the interior face or rib of 1.6 of. such contact points to which they are welded. The same arrangement obtains likewise with bilge corner precast plate 15.

Girder 3. Fig. :1 is extended to to outward flange 192 on the bottom of .sz ii-d -iplate 1. to which it is welded at points E9!) in addition to the welded angle iron connection at points 190 and 191. This extendinu' flange 192 is also made to term the support to receive the transverse girder lvitt-nn flanges 193 (Fig. which are coped at the point 194c 3) to bring; the proper a ignment. The end connections ot the transverse girders 6 are then welded to girder plate 1.

The longitudinal girders 1 and 5 hown in Fig. 6 are welded to the precast p ates at their outer edges 38 and 39 a d at point: lO and 1-1. Giroers .2 are pu ched with :1 row of slots 4.2 and 4-8 which permit tach welding one side of the channel ttranic ot pre-cast bilge plate 15 from above instead of underneath. Similarly the pro-cast inne bottom plates 21 have the angle iron itrainr 49 at the edge punched with a row of? wclding slots 43 and the pro-cast plates have apertures 49 in their upper face between the concrete ribs which permit of welding the angle iron 19 to the plates girder 1 through these with an electrode from above, dis pensing with overhead Welding from under- 135') a re ill) neath the pro-cast plate 21. The angle iron 49 of plate 21 is also continuously welded on its edge a l completing its connection to girder 1. welded to it at its edges 45. In setting girder 1 in final position in relation to girder 2 welding slot i6 is left between the two girders as noted. This slot :is then filled ith welding metal which welds the girders 1 and 2 to the connecting angle iron 4.? in one welding operation, with the common welding metal. Girder 2 also has a row of slots 48 punched for welding the girder to the angle iron 4;? at a point near its outer edge so that by the welding of these slots, girders 1 and 2 are finally connected at two welding points L6 and 48 making a substantial. solid connection. After welding ape-rtures 43 in the inner bottom plates 21, the openings e9 are filled with concrete after the welding completed, covering welds 4-3 and Before the joints between the inner bottom plates are filled with concrete from above, following their welding, the steel columns 31, 32, (Fig. 3) are welded to the trans verse and longitudinal truss frames at point 196 (Fig. and these columns are also velded at the top to the transverse truss 6 and the longitudinal trusses 1.0.

The extreme stern section is trained with upper and lower continuous steel trusses or girders 50, 51, formed of steel shapes, and plates and placed on the central longitudie nal axis of the hull terminating in a transom plate or frame 52. These longitudinal "*1 frames 50, 51 form the seat for the under-hung rudder shaft 53 having the steel plates of the truss or girder curved to receive the shaft which passes through and is hung from these frames. Transverse truss frames 54-, 55, 56, 5? and 58 are fabricated to be set up and welded to the longitudinal trusses. 56 and 51 and the pro-cast shell plates 59 for the stern which are ast in warped molds to the proper form and are welded to those transverse frames at both ends and to each other at their sides and to the der 51 when adjacent to the latter. 'lates 59 preferably abut so that their longitudinal edges extend in continuous longitudinal alignment. The extremity of the stern 60 is formed by precast reened concrete tank with steel framing and ing connection which is welded to the transom plate,5.3. This concrete, 60 e either in rib formation or plain with s. As explained the pre-cast plates for the deck superstrua'tures are 1 i it steel frames or welding points lded to the steel framing of the deck each other after being set in posiht upper deck, 63, is either of -cast panel construction or can in place on steel framing supports, 6%, carrying the upper deck and. weld- (:lirder 1 has an angle iron 47.

ed to the framing of the pre-cast plates 61 and 62. The pre-cast plates 61 and 62 have in them supported by the backing ribs, jortholes 63 so when erected the cabins are properly provided in. this respect.

R ferring to Figs. 7 and 8 the pro-cast shell plates 59 covering the entire hull framing as noted are laid with continuous transverse joints between the transverse stern trusses 54-, 55, 56, 57 and 58 and also the typical trusses 5. In Fig. 8 the shell plates 65, 66 are staggered on the transverse joints, it being noted that where necessary to get an odd number of panels in order to break the joints uniformly on both sides of the hull, certain panels (ill-66 can be paired thus obtaining the desired result.

Fig. 9 shows the truss 55 indicating the jointing scheme of the transverse stern frames. The outer steel plate of the trusses is cut away as at 67 and 68 when the precast hull plates are set with staggered or broken joints. This permits the plates which span intermediate transverse trusses to pass over the truss and at that point a metal face embodied in the concrete permits of welding the pre-cast plate to the truss on this contact face as at 108 Fig. 14.

Truss 55 is preferably fabricated ready to set up in one section forming a complete half section of the entire transverse truss framing. To permit of this the truss is connected with a steel vertical framing in the form of an angle iron or other suitable steel shape 69, which in turn forms a strut or column between the longitudinal. frames 50 and 51 and permits of the derrick lifting and setting the complete half transverse frame as a single unit. The steel strut column tie 69 when desired can be set further toward the outside of the truss. 55 is then welded to the longitudinal girders or trusses 50 and 51 at points 70 and 71. The warped. plates 65, 66, or 59 are then assembled in conjunction with this transverse fran'iing and welded to it and to themselves. The longitudinal fran'i'ing in the pre-cast plates thus forms the stern structural framing in union with the transverse hull frames 54:, 55, 56, etc. If any greater strength or more steel is required for extra longitudinal frames additional plates or frames can be welded in between the plates on their longitudinal joints as at points 72, 73, etc. A. particular feature of my invention lies in my plan of carrying straight lines generally in my steel framing of the hull to receive the steel framing of the plates which are also carried in straight sectional lines which are interior cords on the curves of the hull, while curving the form of concrete in casting it in these straight steel frames. This is generally indicated in particular by Fig. 9 where the steeel plates or shapes 195 and 196 of the truss 55. are 0 .1 t-Q straight cords on the outside 195 and also on the inside 196 if desired, while the concrete of the pre-cast plates 65 carries the proper curved face 197. The pre-cast plates for the curved or the stern portions of the hull are thus formed in trapezoid sections, all four straight edges of which are curved as they cut theface of the plate while the steel frame-work imbedded in these edges or sides of the plate are straight steel sections although, of course, if for any reason it is preferred, they can be bent to curves. This combination, however, of a curved surface on straight structural lines, secures a great saving of labor and fabricating work and what is known as furnace work, and bending, and makes the whole'portionofthe ship jlh ull inuch simpler both as to hull trainings my welded truss formation. Steel plates 74; and 75 are theupper and lower or outer ,members of the truss. To these I weld bent and ship plates. U V v Fig. 10 shows the typical construction for angle irons 76 and 77 in truss formation.

A novel element and feature of this construction is the manner of fabricating and sufficient riveting space.

welding the trusses together. It is under stood in calculating the design of steel trusses particularly when excessive loads which are common in ship construction are to be met, a large and sutlicient quantity of rivets are found necessary at all points uniting the diagonal angle iron lacing to the outer cords of the truss. To secure this adequate number of rivets a large amount I truss, by arranging my angle irons and their welding so as to secure the largest possible amount of lineal welding on the angle iron, 1t being understood that the welded connection has a given strength per lineal inch slightly over four tons per inch as compared with about eight tons for a single Vqth rivet.

To secure additional welding surface and y at the same'time a simple fabrication of the angle ironsin the truss, I first slot one leg I [of the straight fabricated angle iron at joint 78, 79. 5

After these straight angle irons, the angle irons are heated and bent alternately at these slotted points to the proper diagonal lines. This caii loe done vby bending the angle irons.

back and forth according to the design of slots are punched out of the the truss. These bent angle irons are then laid flat on the plates, 74;, 75 on a horizontal welding platform. The truss is then welded together, by welding around the outer edge of the angle iron at 80, the inner edge 81 and the slot 72) or 78, and on the opposite or back side of the angle iron, after turning the truss over, at points 82 along the edge of plates 7% and 75.

By this means of welding the angle irons on both sides and like-wise securing a union of three parts, i. e. the sides of the severed leg of the angle iron and the plate, by the one weld at 79 or 78 and also avoiding the cutting and rewelding of the other leg of the angle iron at point 83, it is possible to secure a sul'iicicnt quantity of welding area to maintain the full strength of the connection and lessen the width of steel plates 7d and 75 on this account.

Referring to Fig. 11, 16 are the pie cast curved corner deck-plates one of these in each group between bulkheads has a manhole 84 cast in it with removable cover in same to permit entering the trimming tanks for welding the inside plate joints after the pro-cast plates 16 are set in place. This also serves for entering the trimming tanks subsequently for any purpose when the ship is in service. 25, is one of the types of longitudinal deck and bottom plates which I use, a feature of which is a dis tribution of the concrete ribbing S5, 86, RT, 88 of the plate. It is also to benotcd that the molding of these ribbed plates is simplified by the fact that the triangular shell panels 89 between the ribs are a. uniform unit for all the spaces between the ribs throughout the plate. Thus in casting these. it is only necessary to have a form or flat platform and one type of cell which is at t-ached to the platform in raised position making the cores for casting the ribbed pl ate as designed. In the middle rib 86, there is imbedded on the underside a. T iron or other suitable steel shape with its face exposed flush with the bottom of the plate ribs. This forms the welding face for anchoring plates 25 to the transverse ribs 6, Fig. 3 which pass under the deck at this point. The ends of plates meet on the lines 90, with their steel frames or faces in contact with each other at this joint and are welded to each other. If it is desired to add additional transverse strength at these joints provision can be made for metal plate or framing placed between these two abutting ends and welded to both faces of pre-cast plates and also to the longitudinal steel stringers -l; and 10 (see Figure No. 3) passing on either side.

The central plates of the deck 26 lie between the longitudinal girders 10 and have in addition to their outer framing diagonal structural steel frames 91. hen these symmetrical plates are broughttogether end to liio lRO 

